Claire Wayne Behlings
Marriages
Arline Ruth Hank - June 4, 1949
Obituaries
The Daily Sentinel page 6C - November 13, 2022
Claire Wayne Behlings
of Grand Junction passed
away on November 5th at
the HopeWest facility.
He was born July 11,
1925 in Dunbar, Iowa to
Walter and Inez Behlings.
When Claire was 11 years old, he became a big brother
to his sister, Marilyn.
Claire graduated for Madison Minnesota High
School, and Gale Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Claire volunteered for the Army in the fall of
1943, serving from January 1944, being honorably
discharged in November 1946 after serving in WW
II in the Philippines and Japan with the 33rd Infantry
Division and 11th Airborne Division as a paratrooper.
Upon returning from the service, Claire returned to
Minnesota to help with the family farm until he began
working for the Milwaukee Railroad as an agent and
telegraph operator. He retired in the spring of 1986.
Claire met Arline Ruth Hank in Madison, Minnesota
at the town’s carnival, on the tilt awhirl. He always said
she just slid into his arms, and he never let go. Claire
and Arline married on June 4th, 1949 and began their
journey of life, moving to work for the railroad in Perry,
Iowa, raising three daughters. Claire and Arline moved
to Mesa, Arizona for their retirement years, until health
issues caused them to move to Grand Junction, Colorado
to be closer to their two surviving daughters in 2008.
Claire is survived by his daughters, Diane Razee and
Julie Bitner, both of Grand Junction; sister, Marilyn
Olson of Madison, MN; Son-in-law, Don (Sandra)
Wheeler of Phoenix; grandchildren, Shawn Wheeler,
Jeff (Mary) Wheeler of Phoenix, Michelle Long of
Denver, Scott Long of Phoenix, Ashley (Alex) Trandall
of Denver, Heather (Robert) Agnew of Sacramento,
CA, Jaimee Razee of Denver. He also leaves behind
nine great grand kids; Alex Wheeler, Desiree Smith,
Austin Jordan, Kourtney Long, Brayden Long, Zachary
Long, Ethan Agnew, Brooklyn Agnew, and Gwendolyn
Trandall, and many nephews and nieces, along with
many friends. He is proceeded in death by his parents,
wife, and his daughter, Kathy Wheeler.
Claire will be remembered with his kindness, and
sense of humor.
He was an awesome father, grandfather, great
grandfather, and friend to many. MumaTuk Dad, until
we meet again! You are loved!
